Nintendo Reportedly Considering Nintendo Switch 2 OLED Model, But There's a Catch

The Nintendo Switch 2 has barely been on the market for a year now, but it seems Nintendo may already be considering an upgraded version of the device (to no one's surprise). The hybrid console has proven to be popular among gamers, despite the price and controversial use of game-key cards.

Reported by ZDNet (text in Korean and roughly translated by IGN), Nintendo is indeed considering making a new version of the Switch 2 with a 1080p OLED Samsung screen. The current Switch 2 uses a 1080p LCD screen.

However, there appears to be some hesitancy from Nintendo, as electronic component prices continue to rise, reportedly. OLED screens are typically preferred by consumers for their brighter, more detailed, more colorful displays, but they are also more expensive than LCD screens. Plans for an OLED screen remain uncertain, according to the report.

Nintendo will be increasing the cost of the Nintendo Switch 2 on September 1, 2026, from $449.99 to $499.99. The cited reason for the cost increase was due to increased manufacturing costs, worldwide tariffs, and an unstable market.

According to the report, if Nintendo makes the decision to move forward with the OLED Switch 2 model, it could begin production late this year, aiming for a release in late 2027 or 2028, which would put the release schedule much sooner than Nintendo's previous business model with the Nintendo Switch 1 and its upgraded OLED model, which originally released in 2017 and 2021, respectively.

There was also a Switch Lite model, which was a cheaper, handheld-only alternative device, but Nintendo appears not to have any plans for a Lite model for the Switch 2, at least not at this time.

The Nintendo Switch 2 was released on June 5, 2025, and received mostly positive reception, though the widespread use of game-key cards instead of games being fully playable off the cartridges and the $80 price tag of Mario Kart World drew some criticism.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jul 14, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

2026 The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved.

This story was originally published July 14, 2026 at 11:29 AM.